Police continue to investigate Criagslist threat that led to lockdown of Cheatham County Schools Friday

Authorities are continuing to investigate a threat made on Craigslist that sent Cheatham County Schools into lockdown Friday afternoon

On Friday, Ashland City Police Department Chief Marc Coulon said he received an email with the threat and responded by closing the schools in Cheatham County and posting a law enforcement official at each school as a precautionary measure until the end of the school day.

In addition to Ashland City police, the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office is looking into the threat and Coulon notified the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

On Sunday, the ACPD posted a letter to citizens and parents on its Facebook page saying that the information received by the police department was a Craigslist post and was posted to someone from out of state.

"The post was forwarded which caused us concern enough to investigate and place all schools on what is called a 'soft lockdown' meaning no disruption to the school's operation but putting visible security in place as a precaution while under preliminary investigation."

The threat, according to police, was not directed to any school but appeared to be a person "venting" that someone should "shoot up a church in Montgomery County and a school in Ashland City."

The unknown suspect did not say why and did not directly threaten they were going to do a shooting. Instead, the suspect seemed to want no one in particular to go and do it, according to police.

"We felt it necessary to take proper steps while the investigation was in its early stage," reads the statement.

State, local and federal agencies worked throughout the weekend on leads and continue to follow any new information regarding the suspect's identity, according to the statement.

The school district canceled all after-school activities Friday.

According to police, there will be an officer present at Cheatham Schools Monday as a "precaution."

"(We) want you to know it is safe for your children to return, learn and have a good Thanksgiving week," reads the statement.

Kelly Fisher, reporter for the Ashland City Times, can be reached at KPFisher@gannett.com, 615-801-3866 or on Twitter at @KellyPFisher.